In the late summer of 2002, the forecasts were still for an annual increase of real GDP by 2¼ per cent in 2003, which was already down from the nearly 3 per cent expected in the spring of 2002.7 The modest growth rate for 2003 is pulled down by the continued sluggishness of the German economy, where real GDP is forecast to increase by less than 1 per cent for the third consecutive year.
A finales del verano de 2002, aún se estimaba que el PIB real aumentaría un 2,25% en 2003, lo que ya suponía un descenso en relación con el crecimiento cercano al 3% previsto en la primavera de 2002.